1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to portable and operable wall systems incorporating one or more movable panels which are vertically extendible in length and provided with an adjustable, spring biased ceiling engaging member to provide an effective seal against the ceiling surface, compensate for variations and irregularities in the height of the ceiling surface and maintain a controlled resilient force against the ceiling surface to facilitate use of the wall system with various types of ceilings. The portable wall system includes floor engaging spherical rollers or casters which engage the floor surface when the vertical height of the panel has been shortened to enable the panel to be rolled along the floor surface to a desired location. The operable wall system includes a ceiling track and panel supporting mechanism in the form of a generally horizontal disk oriented in the track for suspending the panel for movement to a desired location when the panel is retracted in vertical height with the disk being movable upwardly away from the supporting surfaces of the track when the vertical height of the panel is extended to provide an effective seal with the ceiling surface and floor surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Movable wall systems incorporating vertical panels, partitions, room dividers, and the like, are well known. In many installations, it is desired that the wall system include a continuous wall from floor to ceiling with a seal being provided at both the floor and the ceiling with the panel or panels being readily movable from one location to another. Portable wall systems have been provided in which the panels are vertically extendible in length and provided with a floor engaging support mechanism, such as rollers, casters, and the like, with a manual device being provided for extending the vertical length of the panels to secure them in desired position. The structure for extending the vertical height of the panels introduces the capability of damage to the ceiling, especially when the panel is being installed in an enclosure having a suspended ceiling. Operable wall systems are also known in which panels are suspended from an overhead track so that when the panels are in their vertically retracted or shortened condition, the panels may be moved along the track to a desired location after which the panels are extended in length to provide a continuous partition or wall.